The Secret Hangman

Delia Williamson, a waitress and mother of two young girls, is reported missing. She is soon found in a public park, hanging from the crossbar of a children's swing set. The postmortem reveals that she has been murdered. Her current partner, her ex-husband, and a traveling salesman who frequented her restaurant are all suspects. Before Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond can solve the mystery, more will die. But even as he pursues a killer, he finds himself pursued by a secret admirer.

Another One Goes Tonight: Peter Diamond, Book 16

Two police officers are about to head home after a long night shift when they receive one last call. En route to investigate, the patrol car spins off the road, killing one of the exhausted cops and leaving the other in critical condition. Detective Peter Diamond is assigned to look into the case. His supervisor is desperately hoping Diamond will not discover the officers were at fault. Instead Diamond discovers something even worse - a civilian on a motorized tricycle was involved in the crash and has been lying on the side of the road for hours.

The House Sitter: Peter Diamond, Book 8

The corpse of a beautiful woman, clad in only a bathing suit, is found strangled to death on a popular Sussex beach. When she is finally identified, it turns out she was a top profiler for the National Crime Faculty who was working on the case of a serial killer. And though she was a Bath resident, the authorities don't want Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond to investigate the murder. How strange. What could they be trying to hide?

Behind Dead Eyes

A corpse is found, its identity extinguished in the most shocking manner imaginable. Detective Ian Bradshaw can't catch the killer if no one can ID the victim. Out there, somewhere, a missing young woman may hold the answers. Journalist Helen Norton is about to uncover a massive criminal conspiracy. She just needs the final piece of the puzzle. Soon she will learn the price of the truth.

When the Music's Over: An Inspector Banks Novel

Newly promoted Detective Superintendent Banks finds himself taking on the coldest of cases: a 50-year-old assault allegedly perpetrated by beloved celebrity Danny Caxton. Now Caxton stands accused at the center of a media storm, and it's Banks' job to discover the shocking truth. As more women step forward with accounts of Caxton's manipulation, Banks must piece together decades-old evidence - as the investigation leads him down the darkest of paths....

No Name Lane

The hunt for a serial killer unearths an unsolved cold case from over 60 years ago. Young girls are being abducted and murdered in the Northeast. Out of favour detective constable Ian Bradshaw struggles to find any leads - and fears that the only thing this investigation will unravel is himself. Journalist Tom Carney is suspended by his London tabloid and returns to his home village in County Durham. Helen Norton is the reporter who replaced Tom on the local newspaper. Together they are drawn into a case that will change their lives forever.

The Hanging Club

A band of vigilante executioners roam London's hot summer nights, abducting evil men and hanging them. Sentenced to death is the gang member who abused vulnerable girls, the wealthy drunk driver who mowed down a child and the hate preacher calling for the murder of British troops. As the bodies pile up and riots explode all over the sweltering city, DC Max Wolfe embarks on his most dangerous investigation yet: hunting a gang of killers whom many believe to be heroes....

Down Among the Dead Men

In a Sussex town on the south coast of England, a widely disliked art teacher at a posh private girls' school disappears without explanation. None of her students miss her boring lessons, especially since her replacement is a devilishly hunky male teacher with a fancy car. But then her name shows up on a police missing persons list. What happened to Miss Gibbon, and why does no one seem to care?

Friday on My Mind: A Frieda Klein Mystery

A bloated corpse turns up in the Thames, throat slashed, and the only clue is a hospital wristband reading "Dr. F. Klein". Frieda is taken to see the body and realizes with horror that it is Sandy, her ex-boyfriend. She's certain that the killer is Dean Reeve - the man who has never stopped haunting her. But the police think he has been dead for years, and Frieda is their number one suspect. With few options, Frieda goes on the run to save herself and try to uncover the truth.

Blood Lines: Detective Kim Stone Crime Thriller Series, Book 5

A victim killed with a single, precise stab to the heart appears at first glance to be a robbery gone wrong. A caring, upstanding social worker lost to a senseless act of violence. But for Detective Kim Stone, something doesn't add up. When a local drug addict is found murdered with an identical wound, Kim knows instinctively that she is dealing with the same killer. But with nothing to link the two victims except the cold, calculated nature of their death, this could be her most difficult case yet.

Dark Water: Detective Erika Foster, Book 3

When Detective Erika Foster receives a tip-off that key evidence for a major narcotics case was stashed in a disused quarry on the outskirts of London, she orders for it to be searched. From the thick sludge the drugs are recovered, but so is the skeleton of a young child. The remains are quickly identified as seven-year-old Jessica Collins. The missing girl who made headline news 26 years ago.

tmitch says:"i really love this series!! i have listened to all three books. i hope there is another one soon."

In the Dark Places: An Inspector Banks Novel

It's a double mystery: Two young men have vanished, and the investigation leads to two troubling clues in two different locations - a scorched van and a peculiar bloodstain in an abandoned airport hangar.

Die of Shame

Full of betrayal, deceit and suspense, Die of Shame is the spectacular new book from number-one best seller Mark Billingham - author of Time of Death and In the Dark, both soon to be major BBC series. Every Monday evening six people gather in a smart North London house to talk about addiction. There they share their deepest secrets: stories of lies, regret and, above all, shame. Then one of them is killed - and it's clear one of the circle was responsible.

Eye Contact: DI Harland, Book 1

A crime novel that's perfect for fans of Peter James or Peter Robinson. If you look him in the eye, you're dead. From the outside, Robert Naysmith is a successful businessman, handsome and charming. But for years he's been playing a deadly game. He doesn't choose his victims. Each is selected at random - the first person to make eye contact after he begins 'the game' will not have long to live. Their fate is sealed.

The Last Detective: An Inspector Peter Diamond Investigation

Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond is the last detective: a genuine gumshoe, committed to door-stopping and deduction rather than fancy computer gadgetry. So when the naked body of a woman is found floating in the weeds in a lake near Bath with no one willing to identify her, no marks, and no murder weapon, his sleuthing abilities are tested to the limit.

Ordeal

Together with her one-year-old daughter, Maja, single mother Sofie Lund moves into the house she inherited from her grandfather. Sofie has such painful memories that she has had every trace of the old man removed - every trace but a locked safe that has been bolted to the basement floor. Inside the safe Sofie finds something shocking that will also become crucial evidence in a case that has plagued Inspector William Wisting for a long time. To follow this lead, though, he must cut across important loyalties and undermine confidence in the police force.

After the Fire

London police detective Maeve Kerrigan has spent plenty of time at Murchison House. One of the many cement high-rise towers comprising the Maudling Estate housing project, Murchison House is home to a motley mix of society. From domestic abuse victims and elderly widows with nowhere else to turn to its flourishing criminal elements, Maeve is familiar with many of its occupants by name or reputation.

Stalkers

Time's up. You're Next. "All he had to do was name the woman he wanted. It was that easy. They would do all the hard work. "Detective Sergeant Mark 'Heck' Heckenburg is investigating the disappearance of 38 different women. Each one was happy and successful until they vanished without a trace. Desperate to find her missing sister, Lauren Wraxford seeks out Heck's help.

Where Roses Never Die: Varg Veum

September 1977. Mette Misvãr, a three-year-old girl, disappears without trace from the sandpit outside her home. Her tiny, close middle-class community in the tranquil suburb of Nordas is devastated, but their enquiries and the police produce nothing. Curtains twitch, suspicions are raised, but Mette is never found.

The Caveman

Viggo Hansen was a man nobody ever noticed, even though he lived in the midst of a close-knit community. His death doesn't hit the headlines, but there is something about the case that catches the attention of William Wisting's journalist daughter, Line, and she decides to write a newspaper article with a different twist for the festive season: the portrait of a completely anonymous and obscure person whose death goes unremarked and unmourned.

Runaway

Glasgow, 1965. Headstrong teenager Jack Mackay cannot allow for even the possibility of a life of predictability and routine. The 17-year-old has just one destination on his mind - London - and successfully convinces his four friends and fellow bandmates to join him in abandoning their homes to pursue a goal of musical stardom.

Silent Voices: A Vera Stanhope Mystery

When Inspector Vera Stanhope finds the body of a woman in the sauna room of her local gym, she wonders briefly if, for once in her life, she's uncovered a simple death from natural causes. But a closer inspection reveals bruises around the victim's throat, and Vera quickly realizes she has a murder on her hands.

Raven Black: Book One of the Shetland Island Quartet

It is a cold January morning, and Shetland lies beneath a deep layer of snow. Trudging home, Fran Hunter's eye is drawn to a splash of color on the frozen ground, ravens circling above. It is the strangled body of her teenage neighbor, Catherine Ross. The locals on the quiet island stubbornly focus their gaze on one man - loner and simpleton Magnus Tait.

The Mermaids Singing

The bodies of four men have been discovered in the town of Bradfield. Enlisted to investigate is criminal psychologist Tony Hill. Even for a seasoned professional, the series of mutilation sex murders is unlike anything he's encountered before. But profiling the psychopath is not beyond him. Hill's own past has made him the perfect man to comprehend the killer's motives. It's also made him the perfect victim. A game has begun for the hunter and the hunted.

Publisher's Summary

Amid the tragic unfolding mayhem of the morning of 9/11, failed Brighton never-do-well Ronnie Wilson sees the chance of a lifetime, to disappear and reinvent himself in another country.

Five years later, the discovery of the skeletal remains of a woman's body in a storm drain in Brighton leads Detective Superintendent Roy Grace on an enquiry spanning the globe, and into a desperate race against time to save the life of a woman being hunted down like an animal in the streets and alleys of Brighton.

Ronnie, an Underbelly spiv from the UK seaside town of Brighton is about to lose the lot. He himself, has disposed of some of his assetts and it seems that reposession agents are to take his car, his house and various other assets. His 'schemes' have let him down. He makes a last ditch attempt to pitch a new scheme to an American contact and maybe, just maybe save his little empire. The pitch is to be made at a meeting set in one of the twin towers New York on the fateful 9/11. The devastation of 9/11 ends Ronnies chances and he swings into a whole new escape plan... he will disappear... die in the disaster... and reappear somewhere else as a new man with just a few remaining assets (fabulous stamp collections) to set himself up as a new man.
The weaving and diving required to achieve this leads investigators from Brighton England to the US and to Australia. Urgency becomes the word as the plot twists and snakes towards its climax.
Believable plot. Characters fleshed out just enough for me to empathise with some and dislike others. Narration was great except the particular Australian accent the reader used hasn't been heard out here in Oz since the 1950s and some of the action took place at Geelong which we pronounce Gee (up neddy) long Geelong not ghee (indian oil) long Gheelong.... just a little giggle there. oh and while we're at it ... Melbourne is pronounced Melbun out here in Oz
Back to the book... a good romp along story . Most enjoyable.

I had read another of Peter James's book, Dead Like You, and I like this a good bit better. This one clipped along at a faster, more interesting pace. And the reader sounds like Neil Gaiman whom I adore!
As I said about Dead Like You, Mr. James is a bit fascinated with urine-soaked clothing, but less so in this book than Dead Like You.
I think it's worth reading. I plan to give one more of his books a try to see if I want to listen to all of them!

Where does Dead Man's Footsteps rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is the first audiobook I have listened to so I will have to give it a high rating with nothing to compare it to.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot did not keep me on the edge of my seat but I was certainly anxious to find out what was going to happen.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The last sentence of the book grabbed me hard as I was not expecting it.

Any additional comments?

I love Peter James' books and am trying to go through them in order which is why I had to get this one on audiobook as well as the next one. Neither of those is availale on Kindle. Be that as it may, this book grabbed me as they all do, however, I thought it was too long. I could have done without the long elevator scene and all the happenings in NY on 911. I think some of that was absolutely necessary for the plot but after a while it began to drag. I was beginning to wish the elevator cable would just go on and snap. Still, it was a good book and I particularly enjoyed the reader. His different voices and accents helped bring the book alive.

A gripping tale with appropriate twists, very good listening. Enjoyed the narrator, except for the Australian accents - and it is Geelong with first 'g' pronounced as a 'j'. Took me quite a while to work out where the author was referring to... This did not detract from the story of course

I like Peter James' "Dead" series, but this one had problems. First, there were many different plots that eventually came together. Also, lots of skipping around from past to present. Making these difficulties more so is the odd sequencing of the recording. It tracks back not one chapter but 10 chapters. Yes, there's no way to go back and listen to what you missed without going way, way back. Very annoying. I almost returned this book but hung with it and ended up liking it, but this was a rough ride. Good narrator.

I found this listen just superb and I love Roy Grace's character.This audiobook will keep you on the edge of your seat,in a great way and it twists and turns right to the end.
Peter James is a fantastic author and this book is fantastic and I enjoyed every minute.

39 of 39 people found this review helpful

chris

London, United Kingdom

11/27/08

Overall

"Excellent use of intervwoven plots"

Four separate but ultimately related story lines unfold in a flurry of plot twists and turns to create a very satisfying result. I haven't enjoyed a book as much since the Prisoner of Birth and would recommend this to everyone who enjoyed that title.

13 of 13 people found this review helpful

JonR

Kettering, UK

10/23/09

Overall

"Well I loved it!"

Yes I cannot argue with the reviewer who complained at the use of bad language and I think it an excellent idea wee Audible to include some key alongside the book description in in the same way as films are described in TV Guides. But I totally disagree with the reviewer(s) who thought the book poorly narrated. Yes there are always things that one can pick up on in terms of whether something would have been possible or achievable, and that is called poetic licence. I do not think I have read a book that didn't have some incredible twist at some point; the idea is that novels are meant enjoyable and an escape from real life. By the way I loved the final twist/hook and cannot wait for the next book to be released as an unabridged version.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Mrs PDJ

Gloucester, United Kingdom

12/23/12

Overall

"A Good Read...."

My second encounter with DS Grace: good but not as gripping as the previous one.

This book needs to be read or listened to in substantial chunks; it's not for the odd 5 minutes of listening. Its structure is too demanding: I found it hard to keep track of who, when and where and couldn't remember what had occurred at my last listen.

Peter James' writing flows easily, is natural and very accessible, but he does tend to use cliches - which can make you wince at times. Nevertheless, he is very good at building suspense, using many twists and turns, and creating a reality of both character and location. His central female character in this book was not particularly sympathetic and I, personally, wish that James had found a slightly different ending making her less selfish and more concerned about the future of her mother. I was left worrying about the mother! Still, my emotional engagement with the characters to this extent demonstrates that James' writing draws the listener strongly into the story. Overall a good read and one which I would recommend.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Judith

LYTHAM ST ANNES, United Kingdom

11/8/08

Overall

"brilliant !"

This is one of the best stories I have listened to with Audible. Well written, good characters and a nail biting plot. We listened during a series of long car journies. As we reached home after 500+ miles we sat in the car for a further 20 minutes , desperate to hear the end. Highly recommended ,another Peter James success.

9 of 10 people found this review helpful

Ian

4/13/13

Overall

"Classic Grace"

A thoroughly enjoyable read which keeps you listening throughout and also keeps you guessing. Once again Peter James has created another cliff hanger with characters located all around the Globe in this mystifying stamp trading, espionage thriller. I am currently working my way through the DI Grace books and they just keep getting better and better.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Jenny Lancashire border

Lancashire, England

4/13/13

Overall

"ten stars!"

Wonderful read, this book kept me awake all night. I couldn't sleep wondering what was going to happen next. I enjoyed the first three books very much but this one is the best by far. Not sure I liked the sly introduction of a "Sandy" right at the end. If the marriage had been so happy why has she gone so far away?

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Amazon Customer

4/4/13

Overall

"Not my usual fare..."

but the key evidence touches on my profession (it was reviewed in one of our journals) and I just had to see!

Not sure about the narrator but I enjoyed the story, my first DS Grace. Will I be comming back? Maybe...

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Simon Evers

UK

9/12/10

Overall

"By no means the best"

I enjoyed reading the first three Roy Grace books and thought I would try this one as an audio book for a change. What a disappointment.

It's a curious mishmash - whereas the previous books centred around Roy Grace (who is an interesting character in his own right) he was almost peripheral to the plot in this one. In addition, I agree with other reviewers that the constant switching of time from 2001 to 2007 was distracting and even irritating. Too many episodes (and characters) stretched the credibility to breaking point, too.

I hope later books in the series are better than this one.

I found the reader's delivery to be curiously flat, too.

However, I did finish it - so hence two stars.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Ashley

Gillingham, Kent, United Kingdom

5/1/10

Overall

"Great"

I love these Roy Grace books

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

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